The instant invention is in the field of plumbing apparatus and more specifically the instant invention is in the field of plumbing apparatus for draining and cleaning waste lines.
The plumbing system of a building usually has pressurized hot and cold water lines and gravity flow waste lines. A “cleanout” is typically installed at the end of each horizontal run of waste line plumbing. The cleanout usually consists of a wye fitting having a threaded plug in line with the horizontal run of waste line plumbing. If the horizontal run of waste line plumbing becomes restricted, then the threaded plug can be removed so that, for example, a plumbers “snake” can be run down the waste line to clear the restriction.
Clogged waste lines hold water with a volume and pressure that is unpredictable and even uncontainable upon removal of the threaded plug of the cleanout fitting. Once the cleanout plug is removed, the entire drainage system above the cleanout is released. Clean up of such a release can take longer than clearing the restriction in the waste line. Thus, it would be an advance in the plumbing art if a system were devised that provided for a controlled release of backed up waste water from a restricted waste line and/or for facile pressure clearing of a restricted waste line.